Organisational Culture

Question 1

Define Culture

Answer 1

The customary or traditional way of thinking and doing things, which is shared to a greater or lesser degree by all members and which new members must learn in order to be accepted.

There is also shared meanings of culture and is reflected in observable objects or languages, practices and behaviours, and nonvisible parts such as values, beliefs and attitudes.

Question 2

Observe culture

Answer 2

OCPV

Observable Symbols:
- Logos, uniforms, rituals and ceremonies
- Identified: meant to be observed.
- Physical Lay-out:
o Dress code, décor, furniture, offices
o Identified: walk around
These are deliberate, meant to be observed and meanings is quite clear.

Communication Patterns:
- Jargon, acronyms, metaphors, nicknames
- Differentiates between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders.
- Stories
o Legends, myths, anecdotes, inside jokes
o Shared and well known.
Can be found in conversation but may need some interpretation.

Practices and Behaviours:

• Processes, habits
• Informal or formal

Values, Beliefs and Assumptions:

• Deeply held and are the foundations of behaviour.
• ‘espoused’ rather than ‘in use’

Question 3

Integrationist

Answer 3

Single uniform and dominant culture, engineered and proliferated top down by senior management.

Culture is seen as functional in that management can engineer the ‘right’ culture to evoke the ‘right’ behaviour in employees.

Often creating clear barriers between insider and outsider.

Reinforced via:
o Founders, selection, leadership style, socialisation, rewards and punishment.

Question 4

Integrationist - Benefits

Answer 4

• Management can engineer the ‘right culture’

Question 5

Integrationist - Criticism

Answer 5

• Relationship: No theoretical basis or empirical evidence between culture and performance.
• Inflexible: Strong culture may not change easily
• Does not guarantee success
• Dysfunctional cultures (e.g. ENRON)
• Not all organisations are suited for single uniform culture.

Question 6

Differentiationist

Answer 6

Key Indicators:

• Clustered into sub-cultures
• Consensus is not normally found at organisational level, but in subcultures.
• Relationships between sub-cultures can be complementary, conflicting or independent.
• Inside and outside are permeable.

How is it managed:

• Middle managers manage culture
• Still sees management of culture as possible and can functionally bring about positive outcomes.

Question 7

Differetionist - Benefits

Answer 7

• Potentially better for individual experience
• Flexible
• Allows middle managers to take part in managing culture

Question 8

Differetionist - Criticism

Answer 8

• Difficult to manage due to lack of consensus at organisational level.
• Movement between sub-units may be difficult
• Balkanization: Subculture may work for self interest rather than common interest.

Question 9

Critical Theory

Answer 9

Critical looks at how employees are affected by culture.

I.e. how employees are controlled by culture.

Question 10

Critical Theory - Advantages

Answer 10

• Demonstrates negative effects of culture

- Not having a culture is not necessarily ‘bad’

Question 11

Critical Theory - Criticisms

Answer 11

• Not everyone perceives the same culture negatively.
• Some control is inevitable
• Cultural controls may be less oppressive than others.